Simulating sports board game using bottle caps

ABSTRACT

A game using bottle caps or similar shape pieces, to represent: soccer, baseball, football or basketball players. The bottle caps are used on a rug or similar material that simulates the surface of the field. The bottle caps “kick, pass, shoot, throw” (hitting) a proportional realistic ball or “run” (slide) by means of finger flicking or catapulting the cap with the fingers, depending if the ball is on the rug surface or on the cap respectively.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to games played on a rug or similar material over the top of a table or on the floor, that simulates a soccer, baseball, football or basketball field which is portable or not.

2. Description of Related Art

Soccer, baseball, football and basketball are the most selected sports by millions of people, that is why there are many inventions to simulate these games and make them allowable under any circumstance.

One of those intents is U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,397. The table top soccer game which includes a planar simulated soccer assembly adapted to be placed on a table top.

It includes four passing zones with goal areas. A plurality of first players is comprised of a first team and a plurality of second players is comprised of a second team adapted to slide along the simulated soccer field assembly. The are players adapted to be propelled by squeezing action between an index finger and a thumb and to be slid along the simulated soccer field assembly by bump by the first ones. As far as the intent is to simulate, the game, it should be as close as possible to the reality rules of every game.

there are two disadvantages associated with this table top invention. First, it does not allow to keep the real rules of the specific sport as close as possible and second, it replaces the finger flicking force to slide the players by a squeezing action between an index finger and a thumb disregarding the finger action which simulates a proportional foot kick force and makes it more real, assuming the common relation of the body extremities.

finally, the ball is an essential part of this type of games and a projectile adapted takes off, all reality concepts.

The present invention provides the capability to maintain as much as possible most of the rules of every specific sport simulating every move and tactic as real as possible. The proportional realistic ball gives even more reality and dynamic to the game.

In addition every bottle cap or similar shape, representing a player allows the use of the image of the specific real player giving extra simulation. This image is printed at the top of a foam which can be introduced inside the cap or is directly printed inside the cap.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a game using bottle caps or similar shape pieces, to represent: soccer, baseball, football or basketball players.

The bottle caps are used on a rug or similar material that simulates the surface of the field. The bottle caps “kick, pass, shoot, throw” (hitting) a proportional realistic ball or “run” (slide) by means of finger flicking or catapulting the cap with the fingers, depending if the ball is on the rug surface or on the cap respectively. Scores depend on the specific simulated sport: Soccer: introducing the proportional realistic ball in the goals using always the same kicking, shooting, throwing technique. Baseball: placing the bottle caps in the home base circle, after passing by every previous base circle using always the running technique. Football: Reaching the touch down zone with a cap and the proportional realistic ball on it or passing the ball through the goal, after kicking it by means of the catapulting technique. Basketball: Passing the proportional realistic ball threw the baskets by means of the catapulting technique. Each simulated field for every specific sport has the corresponding marks (lines, circles) and accessories (goals, baskets, etc).

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a highly realistic simulation of sports like soccer, baseball, football or basketball using cheap and easy to find bottle caps or similar shape and allow its practice to any circumstance witch could make difficult on the real sport. (Physical disabilities whether or just for fancy style).

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a recovery value of simplicity and ingenuity by the use of bottle caps or similar shape to develop a very distractive and interactive game for people of all ages young or old as an alternative option apart of automated technologies.

In accordance with these and other objects which will become hereinafter, the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing the printed image of the player at the top of foam or similar material and the bottle cap or similar shape.

FIG. 2 is a perspective of the finger flicking, the bottle cap with the inserted printed image foam and the realistic ball.

FIG. 3 is a perspective of the catapulting technique of the cap with the fingers and the ball at the top of the cap.

FIG. 4 is a perspective of the player cap and a second empty cut cap to be used as a stand for the first one. This option is used for the goalkeepers in the simulated soccer game for example.

FIG. 5 is a perspective of the invention showing a rug that simulates a soccer field and its corresponding marks (lines, circles), accessories (goals), bottle caps representing the players and the realistic ball.

DETALED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, the essential part of the invention is shown at numeral 10 in FIG. 1. This printed image at the top of an insert being a foam insert, cardboard, paper insert, plastic insert, wooden insert, or similar material is introduced inside the bottle cap or similar shape 11 so it becomes to represent “the player”. The insert 10 is shaped element that is removable or permanently attached in side a bottle cap. Also said insert may have a magnet attached to the back for securing to bottle cap or Velcro© for plastic caps.

The bottle cap or similar shape with the insert all together 12 will hit the realistic ball 13 (Made of plastic material or similar light weight material with air inside and magnetic material when appropriate for the specific simulated sport.) by means of finger flicking 14.

In order to develop an additional technique as it is shown in FIG. 3; the bottle cap 12 with the ball at the top 13 can be catapulted with the fingers 15 when appropriate for the specific simulated sport.

When the specific simulated sport dictates, the bottle caps 12 can be introduced in a cut bottle cap attachment mechanism 16 in order to stand up at least one of said players, as it is shown in FIG. 4; this is the case of the goalies for soccer game for example. The said cut bottle cap mechanism 16 has a disc shape with a portion cut out and extending backwards to form a support stand.

The bottle caps are used on a rug or similar material 17 that simulates the surface of the field as showed on FIG. 5

The bottle caps 12, “kick, pass, shoot, throw” (hitting) a proportional realistic ball 13 or “run” (slide) by means of finger flicking or catapulting the cap with the fingers FIG. 3, depending if the ball is on the rug surface or on the cap respectively.

The playing board maybe a rug, cardboard, paper, plastic, foam, wicker mat, or any flat element 17 that has representative lines 19 indicating the chosen sport such as football, soccer, baseball and basketball.

Scores depend on the specific simulated sport:

Soccer: introducing the proportional realistic ball 13 in the goals 18 using always the same kicking, shooting, throwing technique. Baseball: placing the bottle caps 12 in the home base “circle”, after passing by every previous base “circle” using always the running technique. (Finger flicking the bottle cap) Football: Reaching the touch down zone with a cap 12 and the proportional realistic ball 13 on it or passing the ball through the goal, after “kicking” it by means of the catapulting technique 15. Basketball: Passing the proportional realistic ball 13 threw the baskets by means of the catapulting technique 15 as shown in FIG. 3

Each simulated field for every specific sport has the corresponding marks 19 (lines, circles) and accessories 18 (goals, baskets, etc). The goals 18 are shaped the same as the real basketball, football, soccer, and base diamond with the backstop. They are made out of paper, plastic, wood steel or any other similar material.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what are conceived to the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be afforded the full scope of claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent apparatus and articles. 

1. An interactive game for simulating different sports including Soccer, Baseball, Football, Basketball, for a plurality of players comprising: at least two or more generally bottle caps, having a printed image; which is removable or permanently attached inside that bottle cap, representing a “player” from any of said simulated sports or interactive game, a realistic ball being shaped to represent at least one of said sports, a cut bottle cap with a portion cut out and extending backwards to form a support stand to simulate a player position upright by being attached to another bottle cap inside, a playing board which simulates the surface of the sport field with the corresponding marking and with a goal selected from the group consisting of soccer goals, football goals, a baseball diamond, and basketball goals.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said printed image means include printed image on foam or paper, polystyrene or plastic material.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said printed image means include printed image of known sports personality for the purpose of playing the simulated sport or collection.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bottle caps means include bottle caps with or without magnetic attachment inside.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said realistic ball means include realistic ball having air and or magnetic material inside.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said playing board means include playing board made of materials selected from the group consisting of a rug, cardboard, paper, plastic and foam. 